Power loader



April 18, 1933. J. L. CLARKSON 1,904,355

POWER LOADER Filed July 2s, 1930 s sheets-sheet 1 QN NN ASN @Nw Nm. QN o Il...

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April 18, 1933.

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POWER LOADER Filed July 25, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 18, 1933.

J. L. cLARKsoN 1,904,355

POWER LOADER Filed July 2s', 1930 v :s sheets-sheet s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN L. CLARKSON,` OF NASHVILLE, ILLINOIS POWER LOADER Application led July 23, 1930. Serial No. 470,031.

This invention pertains to power loading Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a machines and more particular y to that type truck frame on which the entire machine is of machine used in mines for loading coalv carried. In the machine illustrated this and the like into mine cars. frame is equipped with track wheels 2 adapt- 5 One of the objects of this invention is to ed for traveling on rails 3. The frame 1 may rovide a loading machine of this type which also be mounted for traveling on a caterpillar will be capable of loading an increased quantraveling device in order that it may operate tityeof material in agiven time. in places where no tracks have been laid. Another object is to provide a machine Extending forwardly from the' truck 1 is an which will load coal which has been shotelevating conveyor designated generally by down directly onto mine cars and which will the numeral 4. This conveyor is equipped at be capable of continuing such loading withits forward end with a gathering head 5 out interruption. which has mounted thereon gathering mech- Another object is to provide improved anism designated generally by the numeral gathering mechanism for a loader of this type 6. The conveyor 4 is adapted to carry the mawhich willmove the material from the gathterial rearwardly and deliver it to the deering point and deliver it to a suitable conpressed forward portion of a conveyor desveyor in a positive manner and in such a way ignated generally by the numeral 7 which is that the gathering mechanism does not lntermounted on the frame 1 and which is arfere with the delivered material. ranged to extend rearwardly thereof in'order 7 Another object is to provide a loader of to deliver its material to mine cars or other this type with a flat belt conveyor together receivers which may be brought up to the rear with means for effectively driving such conof the machine. Suitable means for driving veyor. the various mechanisms are provided as will Another object is to provide a loader in be explained more in detail hereinafter. '75 which the gathering mechanism can be swung Projecting forwardly from the front end from side to side and the machine as a whole of .the frame 1 is a supporting bracket 12 moved toward or away from the material to which carries a pivot shaft 9. The shaft 9 be loaded and to provide control devices by is itself pivoted to the bracket 12 by means means of which allthese operations may be of a fitting 80 whichV has a bore adapted to C6 accomplished in a simple and expeditious receive the shaft 9 and which has a forward manner. extension perforated to receive a pivot pin Further objects will appear from the fol- 11 which passes downwardly thru a cross web lowing description taken in connection with 81 forming a part of the bracket 12. By the accompanying drawings, in which means of this connection the shaft 9 is piv Figure 1 is a lan view of the rear half of oted for horizontal movement on the bracket a loader embodying this invention; 12.

Figure2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; K A bracket 8 has a pair of rearwardly ex- Figure 3 is a plan view of the forward half tending arms secured to the ends of the shaft of the loader shown in Fig. 1; 9. The bracket 8 extends forwardly from Figure 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 3; and the pivot 11 and rests upon an upstanding Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of the belt ridge or flange 82 which extends around the drive; curved forward edge of the bracket 12. The Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section curve of this edge is circular having its cenof an elevating jack constructed in accordter at the pivot 11. Accordingly, the bracket ance with this invention; Y 8 is pivoted for horizontal movement on the Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6; pivot 11 during which movement the bracket and l 8 slides on the rim of the bracket 12.

Figure 8 is a continuation of the lower end Nested within the arms of the bracket 8 is of Fig. 6. a similarly formed inner bracket 10 having rearwardly extending arms which are hinged at 83 on the shaft 9. The forward end of the bracket 10 carries the conveyor 4 which is rigidly attached thereto in aiiy suitable manner.

Pivotally supported at 84 at the forward end of the bracket 8 are elevating jacks 13. There is one of these jacks mounted on each side of the machine as shown in Fig. 1. The elevating portion of each jack is pivoted at 85 to the bracket 10. Accordingly, by operating the jacks 13 the bracket 10 is elevated relatively to the brackets 8, pivoting on the shaft 9 so as to raise the front end of the conveyor and its gathering shoe 5.

The elevating jacks 13 are of special construction as illustrated in Fig. 6. The hollow casing 13 is provided with a base 86 adapted to receive the pivot 85. The casing 13 may be lined with a sleeve 87 of bronze or other suitable material adapted to provide an inner wearing surface. Mounted to slide in the casing 13 is a plunger 88 of somewhat smaller diameter than the bore of the sleeve 87 and having an enlarged head 89 adapted to fit snugly in the bore of the sleeve 87. The upper end of the plunger 88 is provided with a stud 90 on which are mounted a pair of packing washers 91 preferably of cupped shape. The lower of these washers rests against the head 89 and the upper one against a spacer 92 being held in place by a nut 93 on the stud 90. The cupped washers 91 provide a packing adapted to seal the upper part of the chamber within the casing to which oil or other liquid may be supplied thru a port 94 whereby the necessary hydraulic pressure for operating the jack may be provided.

The lower end of the casing 13 has an enlarged portion 95 adapted to receive a stop ring 96 whose inner bore is fitted to the plunger 88. A suitable packing 97 bears against the ring 96 and is held in place by a nut 98 screwed into the portion 95 of the casing and adapted to put the packing 97 under pressure so as to form an effective seal around the plunger.

It will be noted that the ring 96 together with the packing 97 and the nut 98 are put in place after the plunger has been inserted in the casing. The ring 96 is fitted to the shank of the plunger so that its bore is smaller than the head 89. Accordingly, this ring forms a stop adapted to prevent the plunger being drawn entirely out of the casing. As the ring 96 rests upon the packing 97 which usually is somewhat yielding, the ring 96 so supported provides a yielding stop for the plunger adapted to absorb shocks and to prevent breaking the jack in case of vigorous operation thereof.

It will be noted that the construction above described provides connections whereby the forward conveyor 4 may be raised and low- Lacasse ered on the frame 1 pivoting on the shaft 9. Laterally swinging movement on the pivot 11 is also provided duringwhich movement the bracket 8 slides laterally upon the bracket 12. Means for accomplishing this lateral movement will be described hereinafter. The jacks 13 may be operated by supplying oil thereto under pressure in any suitable manner well known in the art. A suitable oil pump for this purpose is carried on the machine.

The conveyor 4 comprises a traveling belt 14. This is an ordinary Hat belt which may be of leather, rubber or similar material having a substantially smooth surface. F lat belts of this type have not been successful heretofore when applied to a conveyor of this type whereby heavy material, such as coal or the like must be carried up an inclined path which is fairly steep. The failure of these belts in the past has been due to the diliiculty of driving the belt positively when carrying such a heavy load.

Tn accordance with the present invention a plurality of driving pulleys is employed for driving the belt 14. As shown in F ig. 4, a pulley 15 has fixed to its shaft a gear 16 engaging a corresponding gear 17 on the shaft of another pulley 18. The shaft of the pulley 18 also carries a sprocket 19 connected by a chain 20 with a sprocket 21 on a shaft 22 connected by gearing 23 to be driven by a motor 24. The pulleys 15 and 18 are closely adjacent one to another, are of the same diameter' and are geared together so as to be positively driven at the same peripheral speed. The belt 14 passes by a series of reverse bends over both these pulleys in succession. The arrangement is also such that the arc of contact of the belt at each of these pulleys is greater than 180. This arrangement forms a positive drivefor the belt 14 which renders it possible to carry a greatly increased weight of material on the elevatin flight of the belt without danger of the belt slipping on the driving pulleys. By increasing the number of driving pulleys, a sufficiently positive driving engagement can be obtained to pull practically any load within the tension capacity of the belt.

Mounted at the forward end of the conveyor 4 is the gathering shoe 5. This may have the form of a iat plate having its forward end depressed so as to form a shovel which may be inserted underA a pile of material by driving the same against the pile. In accordance with this invention the shoe 5 is mounted to have an upward inclination relatively to the slope of the conveyor belt 14.

Mounted on the shoe 5 and so as to move upwardly at the same angle as said shoe is the gathering mechanism 6. This mechanism comprises a pair of gathering chains 25, each passing over a driving sprocket 26 and a lower guide 27. The driving sprocket 26 is mounted on a short inclined shaft 28 conpart of the ya hydraulic jack 37 for raising shaft 30 driven by a chain 31 from the shaft of the conveyor driving pulley 18.

The gathering chains 25 move in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. In

operation when the shovel 5 is inserted under a pile of material a series of hooks or cutters 32 with which the chains 25 are armed assists in working the material away from before the entering edges of the shoe 5 so that the shoe may be worked under the pile of material. The cutters 32 also move upwardly along the inclined path formed by the slope of the shoe 5 so as to gather the material between the two chains and move the same up- 1ardly on the shoe. At a suitable point over the lower end of the conveyor belt 14 the shoe is provided with a delivery edge 33 over which the material drops onto the belt 14.

It will be noted that on account of the increased slope of the pathl of the gathering chains relatively to that of the belt 14, the cutters 32 move away from said belt as they move upwardly, being spaced a substantial distance thereabove vat the upper end of their travel where they begin to turn outwardly about the shaft 28. By this movement the cutters are carried clear of the material which has been deliveredto the belt. Accordingly, there is no tendency for the cutters to sweep material off the upper part of the shoe during their outward movement about the shaft 28. In other words the cutters are moved clear of the delivered material in a Vertical direction as the material is carried away on the belt 14.

It will also be noted that the gathering chains are more widely separated at their upper ends than at their lower ends. This provides room between the chains for the material to accumulate in a compact form so as to spread the same over the width of the belt 14 and the capacity of the machine is increased accordingly. This is also of advantage in such cases as often occur where the shovel Works its way a considerable distance under the pile of material to be loaded whereupon the pile caves in upon the machine. In such a case the caving material will fall upon the shoe 5 and the belt 14. The belt will immediately carry such material away while that part that falls between the gathering chains will be moved up and delivered to the belt. The flaring form at this portion of the mechanism prevents any possibility of the jamming of the fallen material which might make it necessary to suspend operation until such material can be worked loose by hand.

The frame of the conveyor 7 is hinged at 34 for up and down movement and is pivoted at 35 for horizontal swinging Vmovement so that the conveyor may be adjusted to deliver its material at any desired point. A bracket 36 on the rear portion of the frame 7 carries and lowering the rear end of the conveyor. This jack is v equipped with one or more rollers 38running on a track 39 on the frame 1 so as' to provide for lateral movement of the conveyor. pair of oppositely moving jacks 40 mounted horizontally on the frame 1 engage cables 41, each of which is connected to a bracket 42 Von the side of the conveyor frame 7. The operation of the jacks 40 acts to swing the conveyor laterally on its pivot 35. The conveyor 7 comprises a flat belt .43 passing over pulleys 44 and 45 at opposite ends of the conveyor frame. This belt is driven by a pair of driving pulleys 46 and 47 geared together and driven by a motor 48. The belt 43 and the means for driving the same are similar in all respects to the belt 14 and its driving means as already described. The forward end of the conveyor 7 may be provided with a hopper rim 49 and is positioned beneath the rear end ofthe conveyor 4 so that the material is delivered by the conveyor 4 to the conveyor 7 and is carried by the latter conveyor rearwardly to be deposited in mine cars or other suitable receivers for disposing of the material in the desired manner. y

The main drive of this machine is derived from a motor 50 mounted on the frame 1 and connected by suitable gearing 51 to a shaft 52. The latter shaft is connected by a chain 53 to drive a countershaft 54 extending transversely of the frame l and journaled in bearings 55 therein. The power for manipulating the machine is derived from the shaft 54. The chain 53 engages a sprocket 56 which is keyed to the shaft 54 so that said shaft is driven continuously.

A series of planetary-gear clutches is arranged to connect the shaft 54 for driving the wheels 2 in order to move the machine bodily and for operating means for swinging the front conveyor 4 laterally. These clutches are designated generally by the numerals 57, 58, 59 and 60. As these clutches are all alike only the clutch 57 will be described in detail.

This clutch comprises a central gear 61 keyed to the shaft 54. A spider 62 loosely mounted on the shaft 54 carries a plurality of intermediate gears 63, only one of which appears in the drawings. These intermediate gears engage the gear 61 and also an external gear 64 secured to a spider 65 keyed to a sleeve 70 loose on the shaft 54 and carrying sprockets 66 connected to sprockets 67 on the axles 68 of the wheels 2. The spider 62 is provided with an outer drum 69 to which a brake band 71 may be applied. By tightening said brake band the spider 62 is held stationary so that the gear 61 is caused to drive the gear 64 thru the intermediate gears connected to the sleeve but in such a Way as to drive the wheels 2 in the reverse direction when its brake band is tightened. 'lhus by manipulating the brake band 71 on one or the other of the clutches 57 and 58, the machine as a whole may be driven forward or back along the tracks 3.

1n a similar manner the clutch 60 is connected to drive a winding drum 72 while the clutch 59 is connected to drive a similar drum 73. Arranged to be wound upon the drums 7 2 and 73 are cables or chains 7 e. These pass up over horizontal pulleys 75 and between vertical guide pulleys 76 and are connected at 77 (Fig. 4:) to the shoe 5. rllhere is one ot these chains at each side ot the machine. Accordingly, by operating one or the other of the clutches 59 or 60 either of these chains may be tensioned so as to pull the forward conveyor toward that side ot the machine. lt is also possible by pulling on both of these chains at the same time to elevate the front conveyor.

will benoted that practically all the movements necessary tor manipulation ot this machine are the :forward and rearward movement of the entire loader and the lateral swinging movement oit the front conveyor. Power for all these movements is derived from the same shaft 541 and means tor manipulating the connections are all the same type, namely, planetary-gear clutches. Accordingly, simple manipulating means may be provided so that these movements may beaccomplished easily by an unskilled operator.

The connections for electing such manipulation are shown in Fig. 2. A shaft 101 mounted in the frame 1 may be provided with cranks connected by adjustable links 102 to operate the clutches 57 and 58. @nly one oit these operating connections is shown in F ig. 1 since the other drum is shown in section. By rocking the shaft 101 in one direction, one oit these clutches will be operated while rocking said shaft in reverse direction will operate the other clutch. 'llhe sha-ft 101 has tired thereto an arm 103 connected by a link 1041 to an arm 105 on a rockshatt 106 which has fixed thereto a pair of oppositely extending arms 107 which carry pedals 108 at the operatorls station., lthe numeral 109 indicates one orn a pair ot concentric shafts journaled in the Jframe 1 and having operating connections 110 and 111 ot any suitable type adapted to operate the clutches 59 and 60, respectively. Cllliesef shafts carry levers 112 and 113 connected to operating handles 114: and 115 at the operators station. By operating the handles 114- and 115 and the pedals 108 in a proper manner the operator may cause the machine to perform in any desired manner.

As a convenience in transporting machine, a transverse shaft 78 is mounted just below the shovel 5 and a pair of traveling wheels 79 is arranged to be dctachably mountable 5 on the shaft 78 to support the forward end f ing.

incassa of the conveyor 4 on the rails 3 while travelrllhe wheels are of such size that the shoe 5 is elevated a sufhcient distance from the ground when supported thereby.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor, and means on said head for gathering the material thereon and for moving the same therealong and onto said conveyor, said head being spaced above said conveyor at the point of delivery a distance sufficient to permit the material lmnps to drop out of the path of said gathering means.

2. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering 'head extending upwardly and rearwardly relatively to and overlapping said conveyor, and means on said head for gathering the material thereon and for moving the same therealong and onto said conveyor, said head being spaced above said conveyor at the point of delivery a distance suliicient to permit the material lumps to drop out of the path of said gathering means.

A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front 0I0 the machine having a llat belt extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor, and means on said head tor gathering the material thereon and tor moving the same therealong and onto said conveyor, said head being spaced above said conveyor at the point of delivery a distance sullicient to permit the material lumps to drop out of the path of said gathering means.

el. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front ot the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and having a shoe at its 'iront end, and means on said head for gathering the material thereon and Jfor moving the same therealong and ontosaid conveyor, said head being spaced above said conveyor at the point of delivery a distance sut'- cient to permit the material lumps to drop out of the path ot said gathering means.

5. A loading machine ot the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor, and having a way therealong, and gathering elements movable along said way to progress the material therealong and onto said conveyor, said way being spaced above said conveyor at the point of delivery a distance sutiicient to permit the material yto lumps to drop out of the path of said `gatherf, ing elements.

6. A loading machine ofthe character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor extending upwardlyand rearwardly, a gathering'head overlapping" said conveyor, and having a waythe-realong, and gathering elements movable along said way in rearwardly diverging paths to progress the material therealong and onto said conveyor, said way being spaced above said conveyor at the point of delivery'a distance suicient to permit the material lumps to drop out of the path of said gathering elements.

7. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor -at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor, and having a way therealong, and gathering chains having picks movable along said way to progress the material therealong and onto said conveyor,

said way being spaced above said conveyor at the point of delivery a distance suiicient to permit the material lumps to drop out of the path of said picks.

8. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor extending upwardlyand rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor, and having a way therealong, and an endless gathering device having gathering elements movable along said way and turning out of said way at their upper limit of travel, said way terminating in advance of the turning zone of said elements and being spaced above said conveyor at the point of delivery a distance sucient to permit the material lumps to drop out of the"path of said gathering elements.

9. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor, an having a way therealong, and a pair of gathering devices having gathering elements movable upwardly and outwardly along said way and turning out of saidway at upper limit of travel, said way terminating in advance of the turning zone of said elements andbeing spaced above said conveyor p said head beyond the end thereof, then upat the point of delivery a distance suiiicient to permit the material lumps to drop out of the path of said gathering elements.

10. A loading machine of the character dejscribed, comprising, a flat belt elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering headr overlapping said conveyor, means on said head for gathering the material thereon and for moving the same therealong and onto said conveyor, said head being spaced above said'conveyor at the point of delivery a distance sucient to permit the material lumps to drop out of the path of said'gathering theirv therealong,

said head operable to progress the material over said way in the path of said means and on to -said conveyor, said conveyor movlng in a path spaced from that of said gathering means suiciently to free the material lumps therefrom.

12. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the Jfront of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and having a way therealong, and gathering means moving on said ,head operable to progress the material over said way in the path of said means and on to said conveyor, said gathering means then turning outwardly to a return path, said conveyor moving in a path devi'ating from that of said gathering means sufficiently to cause said means to clear thematerial lumps at the turning point.

13. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly' and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and having a way therealong, and gathering means having picks movable over said way in a path extending along said conveyor to progress the material over said way and on to said conveyor, the picks then moving outwardly to a return path, the path of said picks at their outward movement being spaced above said conveyor suiciently to clear the material lumps thereon.

14. A loading machine of the character described, comprising, an elevating conveyor at the front of the machine extending upwardly and rearwardly, a gathering head overlapping said conveyor and having a way and a gathering chain having icks movable in a path leading inwardly of wardly over said way and extending along said conveyor to progress the material thereonto, said chain then moving outwardly to a return path, the path of said chain at its outward movement being spaced above said conveyor sufficiently to clear the material lumps www@ having picks movable in paths leang in- Wmdy toward each @ber beyond 'the @nd of sani head, than upwandly over sa Way and extending along said conveyor to pnogness Q 'Une material theneonto., said @nains then m017- ing @ufwnrdly away from each other to reumn paths, the paths of said chains at their @uwand movemen, being spaced above said conveyon snfcienfaly w dem the ma'tenial i0 lumps fneneom n is@ 'imony whereof my signanfe Jhis 'M1 day of July, 1930.

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